Corrective brassiere



l R. Y m t my m Ow M R 1. W V n m m& T e m R w m w h C s 2 m M May 12,1936. CLANCY CORRECTIVE BRAssIERE.

Original Filed March 18, 19:55

. y 12, 1936. P. CLANCY Re. 19,960

CORRECTIVE BRASSIERE Original F iled March 18, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 6 v0 INVENTOR. PA TRlC/A CLANC) A TTORNE'Y Reissued May 12, 1936 Re. 19,960g,

PATENT OFFICE V 19,960 CORRECTIVE BRASSIERE Patricia Clancy, San Diego,Calif.

Original No. 1,937,008, Serial No. 661,546.

dated November 28, 1933, March 18, 1933. Applica tion for reissueOctober 23, 1934, Serial No.

This invention relates to garments of the brassiere type andparticularly to a brassire garment having for one of its principalobjects the provision of improved means for correctively rejuvenating,invigorating and restoring in a superior manner the broken down tissuesof a W- mans bust, whereby drooping breasts are caused to resume a moreupright position, hence contributing to a womans figure, comfort andhealth.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved combination ofparts for a garment of this kind which may be united to each other insuch a manner that the garment as a whole will be comfortable, durableand will dependably maintain itself in the proper wearing position. i

A particular object of the invention is to provide a superior reinforcedforwardly expanded portion of the garment which will fit over eachbreast in a more perfect manner'and which may be depended upon to holdup and slightly compress the breast in the manner which is mostconducive to health and to improvement of the figure.

Still another object of the invention is to provide means to support thebrassiere from the shoulders of the wearer in a more dependable,

comfortable and hygienic manner, and in such a manner that it may beheld up at higher levels as the process of rejuvenation proceeds.

Other objects, advantages and features of the invention may hereinafterappear.

Referring to the accompanying drawings which illustrate what is atpresent deemed to be a preferred embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the complete article, except that aportion of one of the shoulder straps and back straps is broken away.

Fig. 2 is a back view of the article, certain terminal portions beingbroken away to contract the view.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken through the mid-width of the lefthand shoulder strap of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a. plan view of the assembly of fabric blanks of which thearticle is composed, these blanks being shown juxtaposed to each otherin such a manner as to indicate the proper manner of assembling them.Parts of the longest blanks are broken away to contract the view.

Fig. 5 is a plan view, on a reduced scale, completely showing one of thecompanion blanks which are broken away in Fig. 4. These pieces arerelated to an important feature of the invention.

Referring in detail to the drawings, a description will be given of theright'hand half of the 5 Claims. (Cl. 2-42) article, it being understoodthat the two halves thereof are duplicates. The outer side sections 5are of a somewhat wedge-shaped character. Their tapered ends aredirected rearwardly and have the tie strips 5a secured to them. Each of5 these side sections is provided at its wide end with an upper edge 6which is slightly curved in an outward manner, and with a lower edge 1which joins said edge 6 in such a manner as to form an outwardlydirected angle or convex edge adapted to traverse the breast from apoint above the nipple to a point below the breast to permit the section5 to cover the outer side of the breast when applied thereto. To thefront end of each member 5 is stitched the double breast member 8, 8,shown in section in Fig. 3. Said breast member may consist of twosuperposed members having triangular base portions, the apex of theirtriangles being continued upwardly into extensions 9, 9', The innermostof these superposed mem- 2o bers has a relatively short extension 9' asseen in Fig. 2, but the outer breast member has its extension 9continued upwardly, backwardly and downwardly to form the shoulder stripIll. The back end of this shoulder strip is stitched to the rear portionof the side piece 5. The fabric piece for each shoulder strip isconsiderably wider than the completed strip, and the side portionsthereof are folded downwardly to meet at the mid-width of the strip,where they are stitched thereto.

The members 5a are of such elasticity or stretchability that they may beelongated or stretched several times their normal length so as tooppositely semi-encircle the body and be fastened together directly infront of the body subjacent the mid-center of the device as indicated inthe lower portion of Fig. I.

The ends of the strip 5a are fastened together in front in any suitablemanner as by the terminal catch elements 5?) and 5c. 40

The front portion of the article is completed by the two companionsternum pieces I! which are each shaped as a semi-heart shaped body, asseen in Fig. 4, provided with a convex edge. In stitching these memberstogether along a vertical median line, their meeting edge portions areeach provided with a series of transverse tucks l3. Hence when thestitching is completed the meeting edges of these pieces are shortened,thereby forming an upwardly and laterally extending wing Id at each sideof the meo dian line. These sternum pieces are thereby capable ofcovering the opposing, inner sides of the breasts, the tucks permittingeach sternum piece to assume a spherical curved form whfle maintainingthe portion in close proximity to the body. The superposed extensions 9,9', as viewed from the front are each slightly curved with the'convexside directed toward the center. This construction forms a more naturalsupport for each breast and also causes the strain upon the shoulderstrip to be directed inwardly as well as downwardly overcoming thetendency of the strap to slip off from the shoulder.

The members Ill are slightly curved and are inclined outwardly towardthe shoulders at both the front and-the rear of the garment. Each of thestraps ID is fashioned so as to lay upon the shoulders in a flat manner,thereby preventing the straps from cutting into the shoulders or fromslipping off when in use. This is accomplished by forming the shoulderstraps It) as shown in Fig. 5, which illustrates a strap for use on theleft shoulder of the wearer. The strap Ill, instead of being composed ofa straight ribbon with straight sides, is preferably cut from suitablematerial along a gentle curve so that, when applied to the body, it willcurve outward-1 ly from a point at the upper edge of the brassiereproper toward the lower portion of the shoulder and then curvedownwardly and toward the lower spine. In this manner, the strapfollowsthe contour of the body and no unequal stresses are set up inedge portions of the strap, preventing chafing or slipping. The rearends of the straps l0 may be attached to terminal portions of members 5.v

By reason of the curved form of straps Ill, it will be found that whenthe finished garment is upon the body the straps iii are slightly closertogether at the upper edge of the brassiere than at the shoulders. Themedian points of the breast-traversing members 9 (at the lower edge ofthe brassiere) are also closer together (separated a shorter distance)than the distance separating the straps Ill at the upper edge of thebrassiere. The members 5 and I2 cooperate to form a somewhat conicalbreast-receiving pocket adjacent their jointure traversed by the member9 and the apexes of such pockets (when the garment is worn) should bespaced a suitable distance (differing with the size of the bust) butpreferably slightly longer than the distance separating the straps Illat the upper edge of the brassiere, so as to tend to draw the breaststogether.

Both the side edge portions of the superposed breast pieces 8 are lappedover and are stitched to the adjoining edge portions of the fabric. Thesectional view (Fig. 3) illustrates this feature. Also the base edges ofthe superposed triangular portion 8, B are included within an edge fold20:: with which the part 20 is m Fig. 3. p

Along the inner side of the lower portion of the article a combinedreinforcing member and breast pocket member 20 is provided, said memberconsisting of an elongated strip having a straight lower edge andtapered end portions 2|. The upper edge 22 of each end portion 2! isstraight and downwardly inclined as best shown in Fig. 4. Said end edges22 are connected by two concave edges 23 which meet at an upwardlydirected angle 24 at the center of the piece. 0pposite said angle 24,vertical stitching 25 secures the piece 20 to the front portion of thearticle, the pieces I! meeting at this point and having their contiguousedges stitched down as well shown in Fig. 2.

Attention is called to the fact that the memiaoeo provided as shown withthe upper portions of said superposed pieces. 2. In a brassire, abody-encircling structure ber 20 is attached to the brassiere at theouter termini of the concave edges 23 and substantiallyat the level ofthe nipples, thereby providing a support for the breast at a zone wheresagging normally starts. v

This construction enables a saggy breast to be raised or cultivated.back to its normal position by various or continuous elevating stages,that is to say, the waist band of the bi'assiere is elevated from onelevel to another as the broken down tissues are restored'or are beingbuilt up. The brassiere proper may be elevated to maintain the brokendown tissues in their built up condition and thus permit the building upof additional tissues to maintain the bust in a more elevatedposltionuntil at last the bust is completely built up to its originalposition.

A heavy bust will require greater stress being placed in the elastic tomaintain its fixed position than a light one and the adjustment from onepoint of elevation of the bust to another is varied slightly to conformto the comfort and wishes breast to a position it is desired to elevatethe bust and then graspingthe elastic strip 5a that continues from theright side by the left hand,

pulling on said elastic until the desired comfortable or building upposition is obtained. The elastic tie strips 5a are then securedtogether around the body in a crosswise fashion to keep the brassiere inthe adjusted position. The looseness of theelastic is thereby convertedfrom the rear to the front of the body.

No generic claim is made to the breast or back pocket feature per se,but one of the novel features of the invention pertains to the breaststrip 8 which is located at the mid-width of each breast pocket, andwhich is suited not only to conform to the natural shape of the breastbut also in combination with the shoulder strip, to sustain thebreast-supporting part in a more dependable manner.

The various edge portions of the article are provided with suitablebindings, as shown.

I claim:

- 1. In a brassiere, a structure consisting of two complementary halveseach of which has a breast pocket construction which includes a frontside breast member, the latter consisting of two superposed similarfabric pieces having downwardly diverging side edges; a sternum piecestitched to the inner side edges of said breast member; an outer sidepiece stitched to its outer side; and means to complete the entirestructure, said means including shoulder strips continuous which is madeup in part of a breast member having downwardly diverging side edges,said breast member being a sheet of fabric a portion of which isnarrowed and extended upwardly to perform the function of a shoulderstrap, said upwardly extended portion being curved laterally away fromthe median line in order to cause the shoulder strap portion thereof toengage the shoulder in a. flat-wise manner.

3. In a brassire, a heart-shaped'sternum piec consisting of twocomplementary halves which are stitched together at the median line,transversely extending tucks being provided in each half of said sternumpiece, said tucks extending outwardly from the median line, a breastpiece consisting of a piece of fabric stitched to each of the outeredges of said sternum piece, the lower part of said breast piece havingdownwardly diverging side edges and the upper part of said breast piecebeing continued upwardly to perform the function 01' a shoulder strap,and means secured to the outer edges otsaid breast pieces to extend, thearticle around the body of the wearer.

4. A brassiere structure including a central portion comprising a pairof wing-shaped sternum members connected together along a verticalmedian, tucks in said members extending from said median whereby saidsternum members are adapted to cover opposing inner sides of thebreasts; side members approximately triangular in shape adapted to coverthe outer sides of the breasts and connected with said sternum membersto form breast-receiving pockets; and strip from the bottom thereof tothe top thereof substantially in alignment with shoulder straps, theends of the strip members at the upper edge of the brassiere beingspaced a greater distance than at the bottom of the breast-receivingpockets.

PATRICIA CLANCY.

extending from

